Workholding mechanism for shoe machines



Jan. l, 1929.

'.J. L. PREQ Er A1.

WORKHOLDING MECHANISM FOR SHOE MACHINES Filed July 6. 1922 nllllvulllhllllll A TTURMEY Jan. l, 1929.

J. L. PREO ET AL woRKHoLDING MEGHANISM FOR SHOE MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6. 1922 /Nvfwrons fam,

Afro/wn Jan. l, 1929.

J. L. PEo ET A1.

WORKHOLDING MECHANISM FOR SHOE MACHINES Filed July 6. 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS MAN e sheets-sheet s Jan. 1, 1929.

J. L. PREo E1' Al. WORKHOLDINQ MECHANISM FOR SHOE MACHINES Filed July e. '1922 Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,252

J. L. PREo El' A1. l

WORKHOLDING MECHANISM FOR SHOE MACHINES Filed July e. 1922 8 Shasta-Sheet 7 64 .4 TTURNE Y Jan. l, 1929.

J. L. PREo ET AL WQRKHOLDING MECHANISM FOR SHOE MAQHNES i Filed July e. 1922 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 I v g .16. I l

m 75) y/////A l 1 l A TTOHNE Y Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED sTArEsj 4ritirati-'r oFFicr.

JOHN L. PREO AND ISABELLE HENNE, OIE*l BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, 0F PATERSON, JERSEY, A CORPO- RATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WORKHOLDING MECHANISM FOR SHOE MACHINES.

Application filed .Tuly 6, 1922. Serial No. 573,233.

This invention relates to work supports for shoe machinery, and particularly to mechanism for supporting shoes while operations are performed upon their sole or heel portions.

l/Vhen performing certain operations upon the sole ott a shoe, after the sole has been attached to the upper, it is desirable or essential to provide means for supporting the shoe so that the 'u pper may be completely protected against injury tromthe tools operating on the sole and the sole may be properly positioned and supported for the work of an operating tool. The operation ot the heel Iitting machine shown in applicants copending application, Serial No. 537,394,

tiled February 18, 1922, oitwhich the present application is a continuation in part,'is any example of this.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved work supporting mechanism arranged firmly to hold a shoe for an operation such the heel seat lit-ting operation above-referred to, although it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to incorporation in a. machine of the type set forth in said application or to use in connection with the performance oit heel seat fitting operations.`

:u lu accordance with a feature of t-he invention, one part oit the work support which is movable both toward and away from the operator and vertically in the machine, is provided with novel retaining and actuating means. In. the particular arrangement which has been illustrated, the work supportis slidaole in a tiltable mounting block. lVhen the work support is vertical, having been pushed back into operative position, it is operatively connected with mechanism for adjusting it vertically and is automatically held against movement in one direction, as illus? trated, against downward movement. When the work support has been tilted forward for the removal and replacement of the work, the arrangement is such that the support is automaticallv unlatched and moved downwardly readv for readjustment as a new piece of work is inserted.

in the,accompanying drawings 'forming a part hereof:

F 1 is a front elevation oft a machine such as disclosed in our application, Serial No. 537,394, embodying the matters of the present'invention, the cutting and trimming lmechanisms claimed in the other application larger scale;

Fig. 6 is asectional top plan showing the shoe-holder with its jaws open, and with parts broken a'wav to show parts beneath;

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the shoeholder closed upon a shoe;

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 9 9 01": Fig.7; 1 Fig. 10 is a sectional sidey elevation ot the shoedsupport, showing the support tilted forwar Fig. 11 isl a sectional bottom plan of the shoe-holder, on vthe line 11-11 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal section looking downward through aV side portion of the frameand adjacent part, onthe line 12-12 of Fig. 16; l l

Fig. 13 is a sectional side elevation of the shoe support on a larger scale7 the post being in its upright, raised position;

,Fig 14 is a 'front elevat-ion of the same;

Fig. 15 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line'15-15 of F ig. 4; and

Fig. 16 is asimilar view showing parts in a different posit-ion. p

` The 'frame of the machine includes spaced side upright-s 20, connected by suitable cro-ss members including an angle-bar 21. Theuprights are further joined at the top by a. bed 23, which bed is formed with ai suitable recess 24, open at the front for the accommodation oi a shoe 14 and its last 15. Bo-lted to the bed and forming a part thereof, is a bed-plate 25 having a corresponding recess 26. This bed-plate has a circular depression or recess 27 in its top around the recess 26.

The circular wall of this recess 27, which is interrupted at the front to correspond with the entrance of the recesses 24, 26, forms part of a bearing for the jaw members or crease plates 28, 28 of a shoe--holder (Figs. 4, 6 and 7). These jaw members are of segmental form, their outer edges being` formed as the segments of circles of the same radius as the circular bearingl 27. Their inner shoe-engaging portions 29 are much reduced in thickness and are tapered to comparatively thin edges, adapted to be introduced into the crevice, commonly termed the rand crease, between the extension of the sole and the inturned portion 9 of the upper of a shoe, illustrated more particularly in Fig. 5. The upper surfaces of these portions 29 are horizontal and flush with the horizontal upper surfaces of the forward body portions of the jaw members 28, and their bottom surfaces slope upwardly and inwardly to provide the tapered edges described above. The top surfaces of the rear portions of the bodies of the jaw members behind the shoulders 30 may be advantageously depressed somewhat 8), so as to afford a wider clearance at this region between them and a cutter disclosed in our application aforesaid.

Curved grooves or recesses 3l (Fig. 4) are formed in the top of the jaw members at their outer edges, and a retainer-plate 32, which is secured to the plate 25 and has a circular opening 33 of somewhat smaller diameter than the recess 27, overlies these recessed edges of the jaw members and has a curved tongue 34 engaging the grooves for further bearing and to hold the jaw members at all times solidly horizontal and against any undesired displacement. Thus plate 32, with recess 27 of bed-plate 25, forms a track to guide crease plates 28 as they are moved to grip or release a shoe. The engaging portions 29 of the jaws 28l are curved to conform sub` stantially to the sides and back of the shoe; that is to say, these edges (see Fig. 6) form between them a recess having a flaring` entrance at the front, sides which are substantially straight or slightly curved, and a curved back end. By oscillating` the segments in opposite directions in their rimbearing or track, the engaging portions 29 are caused laterally to approach and recede in order to engage the rand crease and grip the4 shoe in the manner indicated, thereby holding it firmly, with the sole exposed for operation, and to release the shoe when the work has been completed. This movement of crease plates or jaws 28 thus provides an angular adjustment about a point in line with and correspondingf to the back `seam of the shoe into the rand crease of which their thin edges 29 enter. The movement of the jaw members is effected through forwardly diverging links 35, pivoted at their rear ends at a common point 36 to an arm 37, passing forwardly in slots 38 in the bed-plate 25 and pivoted at 39 at their forward ends to the under parts of the jaw members 28 to the rear of the center of the circular system.

The arm 37 extends toward one side of the machine from the rear ends of the links 35 and is pivoted at its outer end 40 to the bed 23, the purpose of the arm being; to support and guide the rear ends of the links for their for ard and rearward movement. rl`he pivot piu projects downward into cam slot 4l in a slide 42, which is guided for movement transversely of the machine in a guide 43 on the bed 23. Movement of the slide in one direction or the other consequently actuates the links forwardly or rearwardly to close or open the jaws, and the angle of the slot to the transverse direction being?)` small, the mechanism is self-holding` in any position and against the reaction of the shoe when clamped thereon. rlhe slide is operated through a bell-crank 44 fulcrumed on a fixed bracket 45. with itsarms pivotally connected, respectively, to the slide and to a forwardly extending link 47, the latter being pivot-ed in turn to another bell-crank 50 fulcrumed at 5l on another fixed bracket, this bell-crank being' connected by a link 5l"L with the rear end of a hand lever 46, which is fulcrumed on a bracket 48 secured tothe bed and at its forward end has a handle 49 projectingat the front of the machine. i

,Vith this preferred jaw-operating mechanism, the jaws are opened and closed by manual operation, and they are held closed by the engagement of pin 36 in slot 4l. Because of the construction of the shoe-holder, it centers and positions the shoe, and holds it firmly in such manner as to present the sole for th-e action of the trimming and cutting mechanisms disclosed in our other application aforesaid, or for other agencies and at the same time protects the upper.

The shoe last is provided with a socket or thimble and is placed upon a tapered dowel 52 on the upper end of a post or shoe-support (Figs. l0, 13 and 14). Said post at its lower portion passes through a hole in the forward part of a tiltable bearing member or mounting` block 54, which is fixed on a transverse rock-shaft 55 extending between the side uprights of the fram-e, In the upright position the lower end of the post 53 rests upon one arm of a lever 56, which is fulcrumed between its ends on a pin 57 on the frame cross-member 2l. rlhe top flange 58 of this crossmember is slotted at 59 to permitthe post to pass through and to tilt in the manner illustrated in l0. A spring 60, connected at oneend to a screw 6l on the post and at its lower end to a pin 62 projecting' forwardlv from the mounting-block 54. tends to pull the shoe-support post downward in the mounting 54. Another spring 63, con# nected at its opposite ends to the pin 62 on the rockable mounting and a pin 64 on the frame member Q1, tends to rock the mounting and shoe-support forwardly. A stop pin 65 on the post limits the downward movement thereofl in the niounting-block.

On the under part of the mounting-block is a canting clutch plate 66, containing a clutch loop opening 67, slightly larger than the lower part of the post 53, which passes through it. The. rear end of said clutch plate is confined with freedom for slight vertical angular movement between the under side of the .body of the inonnting-block and a piece 68 vbolted thereto and having a ledge 69. A pin 70 secured in the rear end of the clutch plate andprojecting downward within a longitudinal slot 71 (Fig. 11) in said ledge prevents lateral displacement. A spring 72 interpose'd between the clutch plate 66 and the block 54 normally7 holds the clutch plate tilted slightly away from the mounting-block, so that the diagonally opposite front and rear corners of its clutch loop opening 67 are in gripping relation to the post. The clutch therefore permits free upward movement of the shoe support post but will hold it rigidly at any operative elevation against descent.

4 The relation between the clutch plate. and the underlying flange 58 of the frame ineinber 21 is such that when the shoe-holder is tilted forward to remove the treated shoe and replace it with a fresh one, the forward end of the clutch plater encounters the top of the flange (see Fig. 1Q), so that the spring 72 is compressed and the clutch plate brought flat against the bottom of the mounting block 54,

thereby releasing the grip and` permitting the spring 60 to lower the shoe-support until the stopk 65 strikes the top of the block. When the shoe is held in ,the embrace of the jaws 28 of the hol-der hereinbefore described, the spring 63 ispowerless to rock the shoesupport forward out of the recess 24, 26 in v the bed. When, however, the holding jaws are opened, the spring 63 asserts itself to rock the support. The relations are such that the clutch plate 66 contacts with the frame inember 21 and thereby overcomes the clutch spring 72, so that the clutch is thereby automatically released, permitting the automatic descent of the post 53 under the action of the spring 60. When the shoe-support tilts foie wardly, the lower end of the post 53 is carried rearwardly away from the lever 56, as seen in Fig. 10. y .p y

Means are provided for actuating the lever 56 to force the shoe-support and shoe upward against the under sides of the blade portions 29 of the holder jaws 28 by spring action, thereby firmly to grip the work against lateral or vertical movement.

In the preferred construction illustrated,`

a rock-shaft 168 that passes through a side frame member 75. A short work arm 169 on the inner end of the shaft and connected by a link 170 with a slidable table 78, related to the trimming mechanism, forming a part ofv the subject matter of our applica-tion, Serial No. 537,394, enables this table to be operated by the same lever that controls the ,shoe-sup port or jack. rllhe hub 167 may have a flat portion 171 to Acooperate with a 'sliding flat-k end bolt 172,(Figs. 2 and 3) rguided in a socket 173 and urged forwardly a` spring 174, an impositive latch being thereby provided forholding the parts in actuated condition. j i

The arm 169 is also pivotally connected to the forward end of a substantially horizon'-` tal, longitudinally movable `bar 177 15 and 16), which is guided at its rear end in a slotin a bracket 178. Intermediate between an upwardly curved or inclined oaniway 180 on a substantially horizontal lever 181, 'this y leif'erbeing fulcruined at its rear end on the frame at 162 and beingguided at its forpuf ward part by ya keeper 188.' Forward'move linent ofthe bar 177 and its roller 179 thus depresses the lever 181, while rearward movement allows it to' risennder the action of a .spring 190. i.

The forward end of the lever is overt-he upper end of a'thrust rod or link 176 which extends downward through an opening 185 in the bed-plate, the lower `portion of this rod passing through an opening in the power arin ofthe lever 56, heretofore referred to. `A stout compression spring 174 interposed between a collar 17 6a on the `rod 176 and theV lever 56, acts as a. yielding transmission element, so that pulling forward on the hand lever 784 causes the post 53 of the shoe-support to be forced upward but not by a rigid thrust, whichv might injure the slice or displace the jaws 28 of the `shoe-holder. Such upward pressure seats the last firmly upon the dowel A52, and presses the turned-in portion 'of the upper close against the under sides of the aw blades 29. rLlhe clutch 66 by gripping the post 53 against downward inovement then preservesl this adjustment, and insures solid support for the shoe while heilig worked upon.

f shoe upward against the gripper jaws to be applied easily and smoothly byl manual operation.

v lfhile the preferred form of the invention has been 4described in detail, it will be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details of construction, as these may be conside ably varied without departing from essentials.

What is claimed new is:

l. In a machine for operating upon shoes, a frame, a work support movable with respect to said frame toward and away from the operator to allow the kreplacement of a piece of work and to bring it into operative relation to working elements of the machine, said work support being also movable up and down in the machine, means constructed and arranged to be operatively related to said work support when the same is in operative position with respect to the working elements ofthe machine for adjusting said work support in a substantially vertical direction, and means movable in a direction other than up and down with the work support toward and away from the operator operative to clamp said work supportwhen it has been moved away from the operator in any position of vertical adjustment 'to which it may be moved.

2. In a machine for operating upon shoes, a frame, a tiltable mounting block in said frame, a work support Carried by said mounting bloclr and arranged for vertical adjustment with respect thereto, means for clamping said work support in any position of vertical adjustment to which it may bemoved, and means constructed and arranged to be operatively related to the work support to move the same vertically when and only when the mounting block has been tilted to bring the work support into operative relation to the machine.

3. In a machine for operating upon shoes, a frame, a tiltable mounting bloclr in said frame, a work support carried by said mounting block and vertically adjustable with respect thereto, means for clamping said work support with respect to the mounting block, means for urging the mounting block in one direction to bring the work support out of operative relation to the machine, and means for moving said worlr support vertically arranged to be disconnected from the work support when the tiltable mounting block is moved to a position to bring the worlr support out of operative relation to the machine and into position for the interchange of pieces of work.

4. In a machine for operating upon shoes, a frame, a tiltable mounting block in said frame, a work support carried by said mounting bloclr and movable with respect thereto, means urging said work support in one direction with respect to the mounting block, means for locking said worlr support with respect to the mounting block, means urging the mounting block in one direction to bring the work support toward the operator for the interchange of pieces of work, and automat-ic means for releasing said locking means to allow the work support to be moved by said first-named means when the same has been brought forward into operative position by the operator.

5. In apparatus for operating on shoes, a frame, a shoe-support raisable and lowerable thereon, an operating lever and mechanism operable thereby to raise the shoe-support, said shoe support and said operating mechanism being disconnectible to permit downward movement of said shoe support, and a clutch cooperative with the shoe-support to sustain the same at any elevation.

(l. In apparatus for operating on shoes, a frame, a shoe-support raisable and lowerable thereon, an operating lever and mechanism operable thereby to raise the shoe-support, said mechanism including a yielding spring transmission element, and a clutch 'cooperative with the shoe-support to sustain the same at any elevation.

7. In apparatus for operating on shoes, a frame, a forwardly and rearwardly rockable mounting therein, a shoe-support rookable with said mounting and VhavingY a stem slidable up and down therein, an actuating member mounted on arelatively stationary part of the frame to thrust said stem upward, the stem being removed from said member when the support is tilted forward, a clutch carried by the mounting for sustaining the shoe-support at any elevation. p

8. In apparatus for operating on shoes, a frame, a forwardly and rearwardly rockable mount-ing therein, a shoe-support roclrable with said mounting and having a stem slidable up and down therein, an actuating member mounted on a relatively stationary part of the frame to thrust said stem upward, the stem being removed from said member when the support is tilted forward, a clutch carried by the mounting for sustaining the shoesupport at any elevation, Vand means whereby said clutch is automatically released when the shoe-support is tilted forward.

9. In apparatus for operating on shoes, a frame, a forwardly and rearwz .rdly' roc-hable mounting therein, a shoe-support having a stem slidable up and down in said roelrable mounting, an actuating member mounted on a relatively stationary part of the frame to thrust said stem upward, the stem being removed from said member when the support is tilted forward, a clutch carried by the mounting for sustaining the shoe-support at any elevation, means whereby said clutch is automatically released when the shoe-support is tilted forward, and a spring for tilting the mounting and support forward and thereby causing release of the clutch.

l0. In apparatus for operating on shoes, a frame, a forwardly and rearwardly rockable mounting therein, a shoe-support having a se j Sii

stem slidable up and down in said rockable mounting, an actuating member mounted on a relatively st-ationary part of the frame to thrust said stem upward, the stem being removed from said member when the support is tilted forward, a canting clutch plate on the unde-r part of the rockable mounting having a clutch opening through which said stem passes, and a relatively stationary abutment on the frame below the clutch-plate positioned to be encountered by said plate when the mounting and shoe-support are tilted forward automatically to release the clutch.

11. In apparatus for operating on shoes, a frame, a forwardly and rearwardly rockable mounting therein, a. tilt-able shoe-support having a stem slidable up and down in said rockable mounting, an actuating member mounted on a relatively stationary part of the frame to thrust said stem upward, the stem being removed from said member when the support is tilted forward, a clutch carried by the mounting for sustaining the shoesupport at any elevation, and a sar-ing urging the shoe-support downward.

12. In apparatus for operating on shoes, a frame, a forwardly and rearwardly roclrable mounting therein, a tiltable shoe support having a stem slidable up and down in said rocha-ble mounting, an actuating member mounted on a. relatively stationary part of the frame to thrust said stem upward, the

stem being removed from said member when the support is tilted forward, a. clutch carried by the mounting for sustaining' the shoe-support at any elevation, a spring urging the shoe-support downward, and means whereby said clutch is automatically released when the shoe-support is tilted forward.

13. In apparatus for operating on shoes, a. frame, a forwardly and rearwardly rockable mounting therein, a. shoe-support hav-A ing a stem slidable up and down in said rockable mounting, an actuating member mounted on a relatively stationary part of the frame to thrust said stem upward, the stem being removed from said member when the support is tilted forward, a clutch carried by the mounting for sustaining the shoe-support at any elevation, a spring urging the shoe-support downward, means whereby said clutch is automatically released when the shoe-support is tilted forward, anda spring for tilting the mounting and support forward and thereby causing the release of the clutch. y

14. In a machine for operating upon shoes, a work support, and means for moving said work support comprising a member provided with a cam surface and a roller guided for movement in a predetermined path and arranged to engage said cam surface, and means for moving` said roller along said cam surface thereby to effect a gradual movement of the work support toward the with a cam surface, a member provided with f a roller arranged toengage said cam surface, means for guiding' said roller carrying member for movement in a straight line, and

means for moving said member thereby causing said roller to rock said lever and effecting a firm but gradual movement of the lwork support toward the operating instrumentalities of the machine.

16. In ashoe machine, a frame, a vertically movable shoe-support thereon, an operating lever, a longitudinally movable bar connected with vsaid lever and bearing a cam roll, a cam lever acted. upon by said cam roll, and connections including a rod acted upon by said cam lever to actuate the shoe-support.

17. A machine for operating on shoes having, in combination, a frame, a shoe-support rai sable and llowerable thereon, an operating lever, connections between the lever and the shoe-support operable to raise the shoe-support upon movement of the lever from its inoperative position, said connections including a yielding spring transmission element, and means for sustaining the shoe-support at any elevation to which it may be raised arranged to release the shoe-support upon the return of the operating lever to its inoperative position.

18. A machine for operating on shoes having, in combination, a frame, a shoe-support carried thereby mounted for forward and rearward rocking movement and having a stem slidable upwardly and downwardly, an actuating member mounted on a relatively stationary part of the frame to thrust said stem upward, the stem being removed from said member when the support is rocked forward, and means for sustaining the shoe-support at any elevation to which ity may be raised.

19. A machine for operating upon shoes having, in combination, a frame, a shoe-support mounted for tilting movement toward and from the machine and for sliding movement upwardly and downwardly, an operating lever, connections between the lever and the shoe-support operable to raise the shoesupport upon movement of the lever from its inoperative position, said connections including a yielding spring-transmission element, and means for sustaining the shoesupport at any elevationv to which it may be raised arranged to release the shoe-support upon the return of the operating lever to its inoperativeposition thereby permitting lowering and tilting of the shoe-support.

JOHN L. PREO.

ISABELLE HEN N E. 

